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<H1>The unix "whois" command</H1>(This information was extracted from the <A NAME=3>whois online help</A> on 22 Feb-91
by <A NAME=2 HREF=../../TBL_Disclaimer.html>TBL.</A> Send questions, comments, bug reports on the whois product
itself to BUG-WHOIS@NIC.DDN.MIL, user  updates and corrections to
REGISTRAR@NIC.DDN.MIL, other updates to HOSTMASTER@NIC.DDN.MIL.)<P>
WHOIS is used to look up records in the main NIC database.  Each 
record has a "handle" (a unique identifier assigned to it by the NIC),
a name, a record type, and various other fields depending on the
type of record.<P>
To use WHOIS, simply type in your target string.  The default action,
unless directed otherwise with a keyword (e.g. "domain root"), is
to do a very broad search, looking for matches to your target in
many fields: handle, name, nicknames, hostname, net address, imp
name, etc,and finding all record types.<P>
WHOIS then shows the results in one of two ways: as a full, detailed
display for a single match (with possible subdisplay), or as one-
or two-line summaries for multiple matches. Often the search finds
more records than just the one wanted.  To look up a single, specific
record, put a '!' before your target, which should be the handle
of that record.  In summary lines, the handle is shown in parenthesis
following the name, which is first on the line. So, typing "!ABC"
will look up the record whose handle is "ABC".<P>
If you don't know what it is exactly you're looking for, you can do
a "partial" search, meaning you will specify the partial target
string, and everything STARTING with that target will be found.
Put a trailing dot (or dots) after your text to indicate this. For
example, typing "mack." will find "Mack", "Mackall", "Mackay", etc.
<P>
See the section "<A NAME=1 HREF=Keywords.html> KEYWORD overview</A> " for a description of the different
types of keywords WHOIS takes.<P>
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<ADDRESS><A NAME=0 HREF=#3>Whois online help</A>
